Life on Foot: An Investigation of Pedestrian Life in Everyday Urban Space
Planning Forum, Forthcoming
22 Pages Posted: 27 Oct 2018
Date Written: October 3, 2018
Abstract
Pedestrian life in downtowns, plazas, and other monumental spaces in American cities is well documented and widely discussed. But life on foot in the drab fringes of cities, dotted by strip malls, yawning parking lots, and sparse pedestrian infrastructure is less studied. This article aims to expand the conversation of walkability to more everyday urban spaces where people seem to walk in spite of poor design. Studying such an urban space in Austin, Texas where people seem to walk despite the obstacles and barriers created by poor design and planning, this article presents the findings of 540 walking paths observed in October 2016. The study found (1) many people take similar paths called “routes,” (2) there are hotspots where different kinds of people tend to walk, and (3) there are some destinations that tend to draw people and there are some places where people only tend to walk through.
Keywords: Urban Planning, City Planning, Urban Design, Walking, Public Space, Everyday Urbanism
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